New research shines a light into some of the differences between the motivations of male and female serial killers.
The study by Dr Marissa Harrison, associate professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg, USA. They found that male serial killers are often motivated by sex whereas females tend to kill for financial gain usually targeting someone familiar to them. Females will often kill more vulnerable people such as the sick, elderly or children and are more than double likely to kill a spouse or partner. Presumably they target the more vulnerable as they are less likely to be able to overpower a stronger victim.
The study found that females tend to be more clinical with their method of murder as they try to make the murder look as natural as possible. Poison is more prevalent in female murderers than male.
Dr. Harrison said, “The people familiar to her are at most risk, especially children, the ill and the elderly. Most likely she murders via poisoning or asphyxiation, and those methods would mimic natural death to people who aren’t really suspecting her.”
Female serial killers are likely to have been married at least once whereas males tend to be single at the time of their first murder. Females are also likely to have a higher level of education whereas males usually have a high school education or less.
Some 40 per cent of known female cases have been where the murderer has been a nurse or healthcare worker.
Dr. Harrison said, “She’s probably white, married at least once, maybe multiple times. She’s probably in her 20s or 30s, likely middle class, a Christian, displays at least average intelligence and has average or above average attractiveness.
“She is probably employed legally, perhaps in health care or a related field. In fact, we found that 39 per cent of female serial killers were nurses or health care workers. And at least one murder will occur in a suburban area.”
